SHANGHAI is to build a city park network with some 300 parks by 2020, including mini-sized “pocket parks,” community parks and larger regional parks, officials said yesterday.

According to the Shanghai Greenery and Sanitation Administration Bureau, in the past five years, the city has completed an urban park system with parks graded in three levels — pocket, community and regional.

The number of city parks was raised from 157 to 217 from 2012 to 2017. The year 2012 was also the start of Shanghai’s specific plan and construction of countryside parks.

Today, five countryside parks have opened to the public — Langxia in Jinshan District, Qingxi in Qingpu District, Changxing on Changxing Island, Pujiang in Minhang District, and Jiabei in Jiading District. A further two, Guangfulin and Songnan, both in Songjiang District, are expected to open soon.

By 2020, the numbers of Shanghai’s countryside parks is scheduled to increase to 21.

To meet the needs of local residents, Shanghai has extended the opening time of 133 parks since 2011, allowing people to seek shelter from the summer heat and do their morning and evening exercises. Forty-four of these parks are open 24 hours a day.

Officials say parks strive to bring joy to residents. The most renowned include Shanghai International Flower Show, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden’s International Orchid Show, and Gucun Park’s Cherry Blossom Festival.